Ramblings

Happy Easter & The Ears Tradition

April 1, 2013 By Fenno

I feel like Easter is always a nice time to snap a few pictures of Myles. I mean, yeah of course, we all like to take pictures of the kids at Easter. But when I purchased these bunny ears you see him wearing…. before he was even born, I wanted to make it a tradition to have him wear them each year (even if I have to bribe him when he’s older and filled with embarrassment) to see how much he has changed from year to year as we celebrate Easter.

It’s pretty incredible! Below are the past two Easter pictures:

Man, this little guy is sure growing fast. The picture to the left is from when he was just 14 months and had him out egg hunting and attempting to ride a tricycle and the picture to the right is tiny tiny Myles at only 3 months, or actually 2 months old! He couldn’t even sit up or anything, It’s hard to remember him that way.

Anyway, we hope you all had a fabulous Easter!

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Filed Under: My Friday Baby, Myles, Ramblings

Over the Past Month: Adventures & Life Lately

October 10, 2012 By Fenno

Has it ‘really been a month since I have blogged here? Time really does go by way to fast. I can’t believe it is almost Halloween, the cold winter air has arrived here in Cincinnati and in 4 months I’ll have a two year old. Yikes!

We’ve had a great fall so far. My work load has picked up a little, which is why I’ve been neglecting my personal blog. Although, I am happy to say during that time, the blog was switched over from blogspot to wordpress, which I use on a daily basis when I blog on cincysavers.com. It is a lot more intuitive for me and I’m very happy to finally have an actual domain name for my blog. Woo!

I’ll tell you there is NEVER a dull moment, however, I wouldn’t want it any other way. I love my job(s), my family, our house and spending time with the people we love most. I feel extremely blessed and always remember to never take anything for granted. Actually I am thinking about getting this saying printed and framed for my office.

[source unknown]

Anyway, here’s a little glimpse into what we’ve been up to, in no particular order…

Myles always comes home and greets Pippy. It’s really sweet.

On the job at Q102.

Spending some time at the Newport Aquarium. If you live in the Cincinnati area and haven’t checked it out, I would recommend doing so. It’s a lot of fun & learning. (Thank you to my father-in-law who graciously purchased us a year membership for our wedding anniversary!)

Having drinks with our neighbors.

Creating and designing new fall jewelry for FENNOfashion. These are the “Leave the Summer Behind” Earrings. I thought the name was catchy.

An attempt to organize old magazine, although Pippy wanted to assist.

More jewelry created for Creatures Boutique in Austin, Texas.

My chalkboard wall in my home office about 1/2 of the way done. I finished it this week, finally!

My baby boy. This picture was taken right on his “20 month” birthday.

Our dear neighbor turned ninety yesterday. Yes, 9-0! So I hand painted a big old sign for her birthday.

Checking out the backyard and his tractor.

The way I like to spend my nights.

Organizing my earrings for the website. I got these awesome racks at IKEA for $5 a pop in the as-is section. Can’t beat that!

I just want to kiss those little toes!

Helping mama with the grocery list.

Another day in the office recording. I love the reflections in the glass.

Enjoying a beautiful fall day in Cincinnati at Sawyer Point.

Our little helper.

The failed attempt to try and grow pumpkins this year. I wouldn’t say failed, but the deer got to them before we did. So now we have this sweet little golf-ball sized pumpkin that we probably can’t do anything with. You live and you learn!

At Kuliga Park with daddy.

Before going out to celebrate our 4 year wedding anniversary.

Oh yeah, there is the much-loved tractor again.

One of my favorite and truly stated shirts. Ironically, this was taken this past Sunday while I was working on a fashion article. Ha!

I hope to get more time to write here on my personal blog, as of course I love to blog.

But just in case, here are a few fun articles I’ve written over the past weeks to hold you over:

Ways to Save: Tips for Saving on Halloween Costumes, Candy & Decor

The benefits of Using Argan Oil

Ten No-Sew Adorable Costumes for Kids

Saving Money on Newborn Costs

Fashionable Tips for Women with Curves

DIY: Make your own Shaving Cream

DIY: Create Your Own T-Shirt Scarf

Until next time…

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Filed Under: Our Life...Our Home, Ramblings Tagged With: life lately

The Plague? Who knows…

September 3, 2012 By Fenno

I’ll tell you what, the month of August was a rough one. Long story short, I went through three rounds of different antibiotics–the last one claiming it will even help treat or prevent the plaque..or ANTHRAX!

If you can imagine they were pretty strong antibiotics, which in turn really made me feel “blah”. After the nightly routine of putting Myles to bed, I was spent. I finished the plague-killing pills last week thinking things were going to take a turn for the better, right? I mean, I spent most of the month sick. It had to end right then and there. But no, I ended up in the emergency room for dehydration last Monday and was again, out of work for the past week. I’m still not 100% there but am being very optimistic in hopes that September will be a better month!

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Five Tips for Taking Better Pictures of Your Kids

July 25, 2012 By Fenno

Photographing kids can sometimes be a tricky task, but don’t let that stop you from taking great in-the-moment photos! I am no expert in photography. In fact, most pictures of Myles are taken with my iPhone because it is always with me. I don’t own a fancy camera. (Although I wish I did). But using these few tricks, I’m able to get some decent shots.

Here are a few tips when trying to chase down your little one for that perfect in-the-moment snapshot:

Take multiple photos in a row. You know how kids are, they can’t sit still at times. Taking multiple pictures of the same shot will usually leave you with a few good photos to choose from. When little Myles was a baby, I loved catching his different expressions.

Try taking your photos from different angles. It’s not always important to see their entire face in every photo. Sometimes I am more pleased with the candid photos than the ones of him looking right into the camera, smiling. They look less posed and more natural.

Get down to their level. Okay, so maybe shortly after this picture I had a shoe in my face, but I got a good shot! Getting down to “kid-level” adds dimension to the picture, makes it more interesting and also you can see what everything looks like at their height.

Take photos of everyday life. When I first brought Myles home from the hospital, I took a few pictures of him swaddled tightly in his bassinet–complete with his little hat on and binky in mouth. I almost deleted it because it wasn’t the most attractive photo. But looking back, I’m thankful I have a snapshot of that memory. Not every photo needs to by styled or look like a professional portrait. Take pictures of everything, because the time goes so fast and with every new stage brings an end to another. Document them all–even crying in their little snow suits!

Lastly, Avoid bright flashes. Using natural light is the best way to go because it doesn’t create fake and sometimes harsh lighting. Taking photos outside is probably the easiest, but you can take some great photos inside if you open up the curtains and allow for natural light to pour in.

Have any tips you’d like to share?

[This post was originally written for cincysavers.com. Click here to find more of my writing on cincysavers.]

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Filed Under: Myles, Ramblings

Oh Crazy Life, I Do Adore You.

June 29, 2012 By Fenno

It’s been a long time since I have had the chance to actually sit down and write out a post for my personal blog. If you are a fellow blogger, you understand how much time it takes to think of topics, do the research, interact on social media sites and than actually publish a post. So by the time I am done with work for the day (which consists of mostly blogging), I’m not left with much time to do a whole lot.

Weekends used to be my time to really sit down and blog before writing professionally and having a baby, but I now dedicate that time to my family. It’s a constant balancing act, but I can’t say I don’t love it!

My new goal is to try and at least blog here twice a week. Even if they are short little “Hello’s” or just a beautiful picture. I miss blogging on a personal level, where I can truly express myself and post pictures of my family. I felt like if I wrote this statement out on the blog for everyone to see–then I have to hold myself to it. Right?

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5 Things You can do Right Now to Simplify your Life

March 26, 2012 By Fenno

I have to admit, this post was inspired by my own chaos. With having Myles running around, working full time plus running FENNOfashion on the side on top of owning an older house that has never ending problems, things can get a little out of hand. But the worst is when one of us gets sick. Or the absolute worst: when both myself and Myles are sick at the same time.

So while I play catch up for literally the next month after having bronchitis and my son having croupe, I thought it couldn’t hurt to share just a few ways in which I try and simplify my life. While I know these tips can’t work miracles, they can at least make the days seem a little more manageable.

1) Write everything down.

My favorite thing to do is make lists, daily. Putting all my thoughts on paper really helps clear my mind. Write down everything you want to do, need to do and would like to do. Next, prioritize that list. What I do is write down everything I have running through my mind, even if it is something that doesn’t have to be done for another month or so. Then, after everything is on paper, I re-write my to-do list by priority. As silly as it may sound, it’s the method I use and it works for me majority of the time (until I misplace my list, then I am really frustrated!)

2) Access your Schedule.

If you are feeling really overwhelmed, stop and take a few moments to figure out what you can drop from your schedule. If you are like me, you are probably trying to do too much at once and as a result, you run around in circles and your heart starts to pound because you aren’t really getting much of anything done. If you go back to you list and see what HAS to get done, obviously do that first and do one thing at a time. This way whatever you are doing gets your undivided attention and you’ll be surprised at how much more you can get done by doing one little chore or task at a time.

3) Ask for Help.

If you have older children, have them help you out. If you start to teach them at an early age to start cleaning and pitching in, you are setting a good habit. I mean really, you want them to be independent and able to do things by themselves, so teaching them to take responsibility for their messes can be a great place to start. I even have my 13 month old put his blocks away when he is done. Kids are capable of more than we give them credit for.

4) Learn to just say NO.

Its okay to decline offers to go out with friends or to make a few less commitments per week. It is sometimes best to realize what your limits are and not push them so far to where you regret making that decision. You will enjoy yourself a lot more if you go out with friends when you’re not feeling guilty about skipping something on your “priority to-do list”

5) Lower those Expectations!

I thought for the longest time my house needed to look like that our of an Ikea catalog, with all my stuff organized, pillows fluffed and everything in its place. But reality is the likely hood of our house staying like that is slim to none. Our house is lived in. We have dog fur everywhere in spring, spilled milk spots and I truly believe everything has a coating of baby drool. Such is life and instead of walking around with a bottle of cleaner and rag everywhere I go, I’ve learned to let it go, clean up every other day and instead spend my time outside enjoying this beautiful weather we’ve been having.

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Filed Under: CincySavers.com, Our Life...Our Home, Ramblings

Kitty Heaven better be filled with Catnip & Peace

January 2, 2012 By Fenno

I’ve been quiet around here lately, I know (with exception of my Friday Baby posts that I make myself keep up with)…but aside from that, I haven’t had too much to say. It’s been a weird past few months. But I did feel compelled to write about Mazda. Yes, my little assistant who has been with us for ten years. He went on to kitty heaven last week. While some may think he is just a cat, he really wasn’t, at least not to us. He was a huge part of our lives. He lived with us in Florida, Georgia, Texas and then Cincinnati. He has been through so much with us and the changes we have endured over the past ten years. I mean seriously, this cat even had a Myspace page. Not kidding.

He was so devoted to me and my business. As soon as I would open up my office door in the morning, we would beat me up the stairs with his funny little waddle ready to start the day. He never left my side and always looked forward to our afternoon naps together. He had a thing for boxes and always tried to squeeze his fat little oddly shaped body in something that would be half his size. He always greeted me by purring and never missed a moment to sit on my lap.

While I am thankful that he was able to spend his last Christmas with us in South Carolina, riding the entire 7 hours lovingly on my lap, at the same time am so sad he was never able to make it home from our vacation. I wanted to believe he wasn’t sick, but reality set in when we got his blood work back. His kidneys were only functioning at 10%. He stopped grooming himself and started to lose weight rapidly over the past year.

But none the less, even when not feeling his best, he was still by my side, in my arms and on my lap until the day he went to kitty heaven.

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to write about Mazda’s passing, because I mean, who wants to hear a sad story in the midst of new years resolutions, but it only felt appropriate since he was such a huge part of our family.
No other cat would have tried out all of our baby gadgets or allow us to practice swaddling while anticipating the arrival of Myles. Okay, well maybe, but…he was so devoted to us.

This has been a really rough week. I just keep looking for him. I think I hear him. I still catch myself waiting for him to jump up on the bed. It’s just plain hard.

You will be greatly missed Mazda.

This is my all time favorite picture of Mazda.

Our last picture together.

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Filed Under: Our Life...Our Home, Ramblings

100 Gift Ideas for Everyone on Your List

November 22, 2011 By Fenno

I love sharing the fun things I write for cincysavers.com over here on my personal blog and this post is no exception!

Need some ideas for those “hard-to-buy-for” people on you list? No problem! Here are one hundred ideas to help you find the perfect gift!

Cupcake Liners, Packets of Flower or Herb Seasonings, Little Garden Markers, A holiday cooking magazine, Dish Washing rags, Gourmet Herbs & Spices, Cooking Extract Kit, Stylish Measuring Spoons or Cups, Plastic Bag Holder, Coffee Cup Cozy, A Year in the Kitchen Poster Calendar, Fancy Baking Labels, Cheese Markers or a Retro Can Opener

Make Up Bag, Small Item from Bath and Body Works, Scarf, Chapstick, Hairbands, Mittens, Scented Soy Candle , Nail Polish, Trendy Cushion Cover and Cushion, Nail Stickers, Party in a Box Kit, Fashionable Umbrella, Lip Gloss, Glitter Eye Shadow, Clip-On Feather Hair Extension, Handmade Gift Tags, Personalized Ribbon, Personalized Hanger, Boot Socks, Artistic Journal, Funky Sunglasses, Handmade Hair Clip, Bright Fun Gloves or a Pair of Stud Earrings

Personalized Bibs, Screen-printed onsie, Handmade Stuffed Animal, Toy Hammering Block, Hula Hoop, Wooden Toy, Bead Roller Coaster, A Holiday Book, Singing Animal, Mitten Clips, Paw-Print Shaped Crayons, Personalized Ornament, Fun Soaps, Cute Fuzzy Socks, Jump Rope, Jacks, Bouncy Ball, Bananagrams Game, A Board Game or An Easel.

Personalized Stationary, Silly Putty, Personalized M & M’s, Set of Sharpie Pens, A favorite candy bar or bag of candy, Cute Stickers, Picture Frame, Tickets to the Cincinnati Zoo or Tickets to the Newport Aquarium, Mustache Socks, Portable Ping Pong Set, Fun Shot Glasses, Tickets to see a Play, Handmade Coupons for Free Babysitting, Handmade Bar of Luxury Soap, Lottery Tickets, Votive Candle in Candle Holder, Bananagrams Game, Unusual Cuff Links or a Toilet Mug.

Batteries, Diapers, Piggy Bank with Coins, Clip-On Book Reading Lamp, Slipper Socks, Hot Cocoa Mix, A portable address book, Memory Card, Small Tool Set, Ice Scrapper, Desk Accessories, Wine Class Charms, Luggage Tags, Loofa, Deck of Playing Cards, Small Photo Album with Photos, Custom Address Stamp, An Air Plant, Lump of Coal Chocolates, Wine wrapped in a Tea Towel with a Bow or a Tissue Box Holder for Car ( I seriously use one all the time).

Hope this helps spark your creativity to enable you to score that perfect gift for everyone on your list!

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Filed Under: CincySavers.com, Ramblings, Style

I miss you SCAD fashion department!

September 8, 2011 By Fenno

I love Savannah. I love fashion. So when I was able to attend Savannah College of Art & Design to study fashion, I couldn’t be happier. It wasn’t easy, that’s for sure. There would be times when I was so sleep deprived that telephone polls would appear to be swaying. But those were the good ol’ days and I miss them so.
I love to keep in touch with the fashion department, and one way I do is by following them on Twitter. When I read the news about SCAD teaming up with Elle Magazine for NY fashion week, I was super excited. Even better, this video I found. You can see the building in which I spent many days, weeks & years learning the art of sewing, pattern drafting, designing, crying, stressing, you know..all that goes with being in design school.

I seriously miss it, and after I saw three of my favorite teachers in this video it made me sad.
Would’t it be nice to be able to go back in time? Even if just for a day? I love my life now but I loved my college life just as much.

Anyway, good luck to all the students who are showcasing their designs at NY Fashion Week!

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Filed Under: Ramblings

A note on the side..

August 30, 2011 By Fenno

So really, it’s been awhile since I have posted anything other than the weekly “My Friday Baby” post, with exception of a few events I was a part of and of course, the new job, which in case you missed that, you can read all about it here.

And I have to admit, I miss you all! Really, I do. With that said, I am going to start sharing some of the writing I do for cincysavers.com and WKRQ.com over here, because I know it is a lot to try and keep track of me in now three different places!

After all, this is a fashion blog and despite posting pictures of a cute baby weekly, you probably also want to read about fashion, find useful tips, learn about new DIY projects and find out about happening events here in Cincinnati. The stuff I used to write about pre-baby.

Okay, okay I am done. This is just a long drawn out version of the two little words that could have said it all. “I’m back!”